Fertilizer-spreader.



PATENTED 00122; 1907.

J. 0; LINDEN. FERTILIZER SPREADER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 15, 1906- 5 SHEETS-SHEET 1'.

, e I. on ub z/L Qlz'nderg/ PATENTED 00122, 1907.

J. 0. LINDEN. FERTILIZER SPREADER.

APPLICATION FILED 01.15. 1906.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

No. 868,789. 7 PATENTED OCT. 22, 190% J. 0. LINDEN. FERTILIZER SPREADER. APPLICATION FILED NOV 15, 1906 5 sums-sum a.

i iv

l 9/4 ON I an tifci'ncasas- PATENTBD OCT. 22, 1907,

I No. 868,788. 8

' J. 0. LINDEN,

FERTILIZER SPREADER.

urmonxox nun 01218, 1906.

' a sums-sum 4.

' PATENTED 00122; 1907.

J. 0. LINDEN.

FERTILIZER SPREADER. APPLIUATION II LED NO V. 15, 1906.

- 6 SHEETS-SHEET 5..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN O. LINDEN, OF OIIIUrlGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO INTI) NATIONAL lI.-'\RVllSl[ llt COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

FERTILIZER-SPREADER.

To all whom it may ronrm'n:

Be it known that I, JOHN O. LINDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Fertilizer-Spreader, of which the following is a complete specification.

This invention relates to improvements in machines for spreading fertilizing material upon the ground, the object being to provide a simple mechanism for operating the spreader apron, and also to provide an apron of novel form.

Other objects of the invention will appear in the general description.

Referring to the accompanying drawings-Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a fertilizer-spreader c1nbodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan thereof with the apron and certain other parts reinoved, the said figure being also a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the automatic clutch shifting mechanism employed. Fig. 4 is a detail showing the construction of the cam associated with the automatic means for controlling the apron at the rearward and forward end of its movements. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. ,dcsigned to show the construction of the distributing cylinder, and with parts broken away in order to show the clutch mechanism on the apron shaft. Fig. 6 represents a fragmentary longitudinal section taken through the apron shaft immediately adjacent to the centrally arranged driving chain thereon. Fig. 7 is a transverse section taken forward of the apron shaft and through the parts disclosed in Fig. 6, as indicated by the line 7'-7 in said figure. Fig. 8 shows a detail elevation of the chain tightcner and clutch shifting mechanism adjacent thereto. Fig. 9 is a section on the line 99 of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 represents a side elevation, partly in section, of one of the special links of the apron driving chain; and Fig. 11 is a section taken as indicated by maimen-ii of Fig. 10.

The machine comprises a box-like body 15, or frame, mounted on the rear'supporting wheels 16 and the front wheels 17. The rear wheels are loosely journaled on their axle 42, and a device hereinafter to be described is provided for clutching the said wheels to their axle. The bottom of the body or frame is practically open, the bottom being formed by an apron movable rearwardly to discharge the material therefrom, and mov- Y able forwardly for a new load; The apron, comprises a centrally arranged endless driving sprocket chain 18, a considerable portion thereof being formed of the special links which are of a novel f()1!]1,itll(l to which are secured, by the bolts 19, the cross slats 19. These crossslats have their edges arranged close together so as to form a practically tight bottom, thecnds of the cross slats 19 being hinged together by the chain links Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 15,1906. Serial No.

vehicle frame.

Patented Oct. 22, 1907.

designatml by-the numeral 20 and preferably of the same type as tlle'special links 20. The construction of these links 20 and 20 to which the slats it) are attached, is clearly illustrated in Figs. 6, 10 and 11. Each link 20 (and 20) has an upper stretch to which a slat L Qis attached at the center, and the upper stretches arelpivoted one to another. The said links are of skeleton form, and onopposite sides of their central portion 21 are rollers 22 for engaging'the-notches 37 .in the sprocket wheels'37, which are fixed to the apron driving shaft 26. The sprocket wheels 37 consist each of two sections 23 and 24, which are held apart by means of the spacing block 25, the spacing block being equal in width to the chain links. The apronshaft 26 is journaled in the rear and bottom of the frame, or body, 15, and through these sprocket wheels 37 support and impart movement to the movable apron. The apron is supported when beneath the frame by the rollers 22 on the chain links, these rollers being arranged to engage the tracks 27, which are fixed to the underside of the Each link 20 has at its lower or inner side a projecting arm 28, having opposite lugs 29 at its ends for engaging in notches 30 formed in the next or adjacent link, thus preventing the load from depressing the apron, and holding the part thereof which forms the moving bottom of the body of the vehicle in a horizontal plane. By this peculiar construction'of link a very tight bottom is provided.

The special links 20 which constitute a part of the endless sprocket chain 18, and the links 20 of the chains 36, which bind together the ends of the slats 19, rest and move upon rollers mounted upon the cross shafts 32, which journal in the base of theframe 15, the links 20 of the chain I18, at tne middleof the apron, resting upon the rollers 31, While the links 20 of the chain 36, at the sides of the apron, rcst uponthe'rollers 38. The chainsLS G, which hold together the ends of the slats l9,.ar e not endless chains, but extend only the length of the apron. The special links 20 of the centrally arranged endless chain 18, engage the middle sprocket 37 on tli apron driving shaft 26 at it srcar end, while the forward end thereof is made to engage the sprocket wheel 33, which is mounted on the transversely disposed shaft 34 at the front end of the spread er frame, as clearly shown in F igs. 2 and A worm 35 is fixed to the outer end of the said shaft 34, the function of which will be hereinafter described.

To return the apron to its forward position after the load has been discharged therefrom, the follmving described i'nechanism is employed: Loosely mounted on the apron shaft 26 is a sprocket wheel 39, from which a chain 40 is made to pass to a sprocket wheel -'ll. on the rear axle 42 of the vehicle, thereby i'i'mniuinicafiiig motion from said axle to said sprocket wheel 39. Formed prcfcrabl y integral with the sprocket wheel 39 is the posed eccentric sleeves or hubs driven member 43 of a cone clutch, designed to be ent aged by its cooperating clutch member 44. The clutch member 44 is longitudinally movable on the shaft 26, but is splined thereon and hence made to rolate therewith. The sprocket wheel 39 and its attached clutch member 44 will rotate continuously while the vehicle is in motion in a proper direction to return the n pron, and hence it is apparent that to return said apron the shaft 26 must be made to rotate with said sprocket wheel and clutch member. This is done by moving he clutch member 44 into engagement with the clutch member 43 by means of the horizontally swinging shifting lever 70. This lever engages in the usual grooveaud-fork manner with the member 44, and extends [on \vardly to the front end oi the spreader, where it is antomatically operated in a manner tobc hereinafter dcscribcd. On the opposite end of the clutch member .4 is iormed the toothed clutch head 45, which is adapted to engage with a toothed cooperating clutch head 46 on a sleeve 47. which is operated by a ratchet mechanism and associated parts for moving the apron rearwardly. This mechanism for feeding the apron rearwardly will now be described. Formed preferably integral with the sleeve 47 are the two ratchet wheels 48 and 49, and on both sides of these ratchet wheels on the said sleeve are mounted the rocking arms 52. Suitably mounted between these arms on the pins 52 are the pawls 5t) and 51. engaging, respectively, the ratchet wheels 48 and 49. To operate these pawls and ratchet wheels at variable speeds and hence move the apron rearwzudly at dil'ferent speeds, eccentric rods connect same with eccentrics, which are fixed to the axle 42. The rod 53 connects at its rear end with the arms 52 adjacent to the ratchet wheel 48tbrough the. pin 52, andat its forward end through its strap 53 engages the eccentric 54. In a similar manner the eccentric rod 55 connects at its rear end with the pawl 51 and arms 52 adjacent to t he ratchet wheel 49, and at its forward end through its strap 55cngages the eccentric 56. The eccentrics 54 and 56 are mounted respectively on the oppositely dis- 57 and 57, which are fixed together and feathered on the axle 42. On the eccentric sleeves 57 and 57 are formed oppositely inclined spiral ribs 58 (see Fig. 2), which engage corresponding transverse channels in the eccentrics 54 and 56. Obviously, by moving the eccentric sleeves 57 and 57 lcngthw e, they will be drawn through the occentrics 54 and 5t), and the spiral ribs 58 .will cause a rotary movement of said eccentrics relative the axle 42, thus changing the throw of the eccentrics and accordingly affecting the extent of movement imparted to the pawls 50 and 51. Lateral movemcntoi the eccentrics 54 and 56 is preventedby the depending guard fingers 54 (see Figs. 2 and 3i, which are secured to the bottom of the frame and are located adjacent to the. connecting rods 53am. 55 and on either side thereof.

To produce the endwise movement of the eccentric sleeves 57 and 57, the sleeve 57 is provided, at its end, with an annular channel 57", which receives the fingers of a shifting arm 59. This shifting arm sleeves on a fixed rod 60, and is moved thereon in one direction by means of a spring 61 surrounding the rod and engaging at one end the collar 62 on said rod, and at the other end engaging the sleeve portion oi the l arm 59 which surrounds the rod. The arm 55) is moved l in the opposite direction by means of a V-shaped cam 63, which at one side contacts the sleeve portion of the arm 59, and at the other side contacts or engages with a collar 64, fixed to said rod 60. From this shifting device 63 a rod 65 extends forwardly and connects with a lever 66 at the front end of the spreader frame. The lever 66 is within convenient reach of the operator and carries a spring pressed pawl 67 (see Fig. 3) ior engaging with a locking rack 68. The rod 65 is held normally forward, and the cam 63 in an inoperative position by means of the spring tit) on said rod.

Supported in the rear portion of the vehicle body, above and slightly rearward of the rear end of the apron, is the breaker or distributing cylinder, consisting of a cylinder portion 71 carrying the teeth 72, the cylinder being mounted upon the shaft 71. The bottom of the cylinder travels in an opposite direction from the movement oi the apron while the said apron is discharging the load, but remains idle when theapron is returned to its forward position. The distributing cylinder is driven by the following described means. Sleeved loosely on the cylinder shaft 71 is a friction clutch member 73, which has formed in connection therewith sprocket wheel 74, lrom which a chain 75 extends to and connects with a sprocket wheel 7(i rotatively fixed on the axle 42. Movable endwise oi the distributing cylinder shaft, but splined thereto, is a cooperating clutch member 77, adapted to engage with the clutch member 73. The hub oi this clutch member 77 is provided with an annular channel 77 for receiving fingers of the shifting arm 78 mounted on a rock shaft 79, which extends along the outer side oi the vehicle body and is automatically actuated by a device at the forward end of the spreader in a manner to be hereinafter described.

To produce movement oi the distributing cylinder in the proper direction the sprocket chain 75 made to engage the under side of the sprocket wheel 74, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, the rear end of said chain 75 being supported upon the adjustable idler sprocket 83. The said chain is held into engagement with the under side of the sprocket 74 by means of the pinion 80, which is mounted on the stud 81, this stud extending laterally from the plate 82, which is secured to the vehicle body. The pinion 83, which acts as a support for the rear end of the driving chain 75, and also as a tighiener for same, is mounted on an adjustable arm 85, the details of which, and its associated parts, are shown in Figs. 8 and 9. The arm 85 is provided with a longitudinal slot 86 intern'tediate of its length. and the plate 82 is provided with the arcuate slot 88 and the transversely extending slot 9| leading therefrom. A pin, or bolt, 87, engages the longitudinal slot 86 in the arm 85, and also the arcuate slot 88 in the plate 82, while the pin 90, at the lower end of the arm 85, projects inwardly and engages the transversely extending slot 91. 3y this arrangement it will be seen that the upper end of the arm 85 can be swung on-the pin 90 as a pivotal center by loosening the bolt 87, or the arm can be moved bodily outwardly and inwardly in addition to the swinging movement. 'lhesprocltet pin- 'ion 81 which engages the rear end of the drive chain 75, is mounted upon the stud R4 in the upper end of the arm 85. This construction just described will tlieretore permit the drive chain not only to be tie-ho ened and loosened as required, but its wrap on the sprocket wheel 74 on the distributing cylinder may a so be increased.

Immediately forward of the distributing cylinder 71 is arranged a rake for preventing the material from lodging against the distributing cylinder while the load is.

to the field, the said rake be-- being applied and driven ing raised when the cylinder is put in operation. This device consists of a series of rake fingers 92 mounted on a rod 93, the ends 'of which are engaged by the upper ends of the levers 94. These levers 94 are bell crank in shape and are pivoted at 94 on the vehicle body. The rake teeth, or fingers, 92 are held yieldingly downward r by means of the spring 95, W ich is interposed between the upperend of the levers 94 and a fixed point on the frame of the machine. The crank portion 96 of orfe of I the levers 94 (it being understood that one of the levers 94 is pivoted on each side of the machine) connects with the operating rod 97, which extends forwardly and engages with an arm 98 mounted on a rock shaft 99 at the forward end of the machine. A carnlOO and an operating lever 101 are fixed to this rock shaft 99, the operat- .ing lever carrying the usual hand-actuated springthe segment rack pressed pawl 102 for engaging with 103 to hold said rock shaft in its adjusted position (see .Fig. 3). v

To raise and lower the rake teeth 92, and also to shift out of and into engagement the clutch on the axle 42, which controls the operation of the drive chain leading to the distributing cylinder, the following described device is employed: The sprocket wheel 76 is splined on theaxle 42 and is movable endwise thereon. This sprocket wheel has-fixed thereto a clutch member104 designed to engage-the clutch member 105, the latter one of the rear wheels 16. The hub of the clutch her 104 has an annular channel 104 formed therein for receiving the fingers of an actuating lever 106, which is pivotally mounted at 106 to swing horizontally at the side of the frame of the machine. The forward end of the actuatinglever 106is provided with an inclined cam surface 107 designed to be engaged by the lower end of the lever 108, which is pivoted at 108 on the body of the vehicle. This lever 108 is provided with a slot 108 at its upper end, the said slot being adapted to receive a pin 109 extending from the rod 97, which operates to raise and lower the rake teeth 92. The lower end of the lever 108, when moving rearwardly, contacts the cam surface 107 on the actuating lever 106 and positively disengages the clutch members 104 and 105. These clutch members are'thrown into engagement when the lower end of the lever 108 returns or moves forwardly by means of a spring .138 surrounding the rod 139. This rod 139 is pivoted at its outer end to the forward end of the lever 106, the said rod passing through an opening in the lower sill on the frame of the machine, the said spring 138 reacting botween'the frame and sill and a fixed collar 139 on said rod. By this arrangement above described, when the rod 97 is moved rearwardly the rake teeth will be raised, the lower end of the lever 108 will move forwardly along the cam surface 107, permitting the spring 138 to, force the clutch member 104 i into engagement with the clutch member 105, and, 'assuming that the clutch members 73 and 7.7 are in engagementwith each other, i

u inovement will, then be immember being attached to the loosely sleeved hubof mer'nbox, is located a shaft 111,

lever lying on the front side of the said plate.

' shaft 79, it will be remembered, through the on said rocks'haft 79 in Fig. 4 and thereby engage the clutch members 77' effect of the pin 117 bearing ported to. the distributing cylinder 71. The reverse The automatic clutch shifting device on the forward end of the machine is constructed as follows: A vertically extending plate 110 is arranged at the forward end of the spreader frame (see Figs. 1 and 4) and nearer the right-hand side thereof. Through this'plate, and ex tending rearwardly through the front of the spreader to the forward end of which an automatic controlling lever 112 is attached, the said Rigidly secured to the inner end of this shaft 111 is a downwardly extending arm 113, from which a link 114 extends transversely to and connects with the end of an upwardly This, rock arm 78 on the rear end thereof, controls the clutch which throws into and out of operation the clutch members on the distributing'cylinder shaft 71. The lower end of the lever 112 is'connected by means of the link 126 with the forward end of the lever 70, ,which controls the clutch members on the apron shaft 26. In order to ef-' fect this connection an opening is provided in the front end of the machine body (see Fig. 4), through which the forward end of the lever projects, and an upturned projectingarm1l5 on the rock shaft 79.

lug 125 is hired to said lever, with which the link 126 engages. It will thus be seen that if the upperend of the lever'112 is moved to the right in Fig. 4, which wouldbe towards the left-hand side of the nradhine, the lever 70 will be made to engage the clutch members on the apron shaft, and, through the link connection of the said rock shaft 111 with the rock shaft 79, the arm' 115 will be made to move to the left and 73 on the-cylinder shaft 71. i

r The automatic means for shifting the clutches, to which reference has already been made, operates in con-' nection with the lever 112, and isconstructed as follows: On the lever 112, adjacent its pivotal ,center 111, is fixed a bow shaped spring 116, the ends thereof being deflected outwardly and terminating at substantially equal distances above and below the pivotal axis 111 of the said lever. This spring 116 is engaged above'andbelow by the projecting pins 117'and 118, respectively, the said pins being fixed in a vertically disposed sliding bar 122, which reciprocatcs'in thevertical slot 110 in the plate 110. A spring-lrcld,detention hook 119, pivotally mounted on the plate 110,.cngagcs the lower ends of the lever 112 and operates tolio'ld it in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 4, inwhich position the clutches on the apron shaft controlled by the lever 70 and the clutch on the distributing cylinder shaft, controlled by the rock shaft 79, are held. into engagement.

A similar spring-held hook 120 is adapted to engage a lug 121 on the upper part of the lever 112 when said lever occupies its reverse position and hasmoved the parts which it controls intoa position to reverse the apron. e

The function. of'the sliding bar 122 is to, automatically shift the lever 112 from its operative to reverse and from reverse to neutral positions.

against theup per end of the spring 116 will be to move the top ofthe lever 112 It is evident that --the i 'i m the right in Fig. 4, and that of the pin 113 against the lower end of said spring will be to move the leverin the reverse direction. The full line positionol the lever 112 shown in Fig. 4 will, for brevity, be termed its operative position; the dotted line position in the same figure its reverse position, and the central vertical posiv lever is immediately thrown to neutral position. Si-

' At the up the horiziontailydisposed stop lever 128', which is provided near its end with the stop'lug 12-9, andmearits center with another stop'lug 139. 1 The pin12f7, which i the said stops 129 and 136 on the lever multaneously with the bar 122 reaching the low o limit of its travel the pin 1 18 thereon will have approached the lower end of said spring 1115, and the shoulder 122 on the lower end of the bar will have contacted and disengaged the latch 119 from the lower end of the lever 1112, after which the parts will occupy the position indicated by dotted lines in the same figure. The latches 119 and120 are limited in their inward movement by the stops 120, the springs 120 tending to hold the latches against said stops.

Reciprocating movementis imparted to the bar .122 by means of the toothed segment 124, which meshes witlf and is driven'by the worm 35 on the end of the forward apron shaft 34 and link 123 connecting said segment and bar. 'It is apparent from the previous description of these parts that the forward apron shaft 34will lia'vo a positive movement which will. be definitely determined'in extent by the movement'of the apron, and hence with the proper velocity ratio pro- 1 vided between the worm 25 and segment 124 a definite positive movement will be imparted to the reciprocating bar 122. The velocity ratio between the segment 124 and its driving worm is such that simulta-v neously with the apron reaching the rearward and forward limits summer the stops 122 on the ends of the bar 122 engage and. detach, respectively, the latches 11.9 and 1201mm the lever 112. 7

Assuming suitable stops to be provided to limit the throw of the lever 112, then with the spreader advancing and the clutch members 104 and 105 in engagement, the mechanism just described will be operated automatically andcontinuously so long as thernachino advances, the apron being automatically reversed at each end of its travel and tho=distributing cylinder stopped during the iorward movement of the 'In order to automatically stop the apron at the forward end of its'travel, as well-as to automatically rcrl: following described device is employed: 11ml of'tho plate-111') is pivotally mounted verso it,

is made toi projcct laterally from the lever 1l2,'engages l 128, and thereby liin it; the swing of said leveri112. This pin 127 is mounted in a slot intlie' shinnd oi the lever 112 and I lQlCliilglp-hflld in its liwe r position in slot by no. or thespring-TLZW; Abfrnt midway set'ween sle istops 123 and 130 is also 130, this intermediate stop, being of less height than formed an intermediate stop 1 scares the stops129and 130. On the outer end of the rod is pivotally secured, by slotted connection, the vertical'rod 132, which is adapted to slide up and down in the lugs 133 on the plate 110. A spring 134 surrounds the rod 132 and reacts between one of thelugs 133 and the collar 135 fixed on said rod, this spring operating to hold the lever 128 normally in a horizontal position, as indicated in the lull lines in Fig. 4. When in=this position the pin, 127 in the-upper end of the lever 112 will yield and permit the said-lever to-move from right to left, the pin slipping over the intermediate step lug 130. On the other hand, when the upper end of said lever is caused to be moved by its actuat-' ing mechanism to the right and the lever 128 is horizontal, the intermediatestop lug 130 will be impinged by the pin 127 and the lever 112 stopped at its central or neutral position; that is, with the apron and. distributing cylinder out of engagement. The lugs 129 and 130 being higher than the intermediate tu 130, will insure the lever 112 being stopped at its limit of movement to the right or left. A. depression of the right-hand side of the lever 128 (that is, the right hand and as viewed in Fig. 4) will operate to disengage the pin 127 from the stop lug 130", and the spring 116 will force said lever into its operative. position. Unless the normal; position of the lever 128 is immediately restored, the said stop lug 130 will not be in position to catch the pin 1.27 on its next movement to the right, hence the lover 128 is only momentarily depressed an amount sufficient to permit the pin to pass over the stop lug 130. This movement of the lever 128 is effected-by means of the cam 100 on the end of the rock shaft 99. In moving the rock shaft from its in position to its out position, this cam will move the rod 132 upwardly, after which it will drop and permit the lever 128 to lie in its normal horizontal position. It will thus be seen that on theplate 110 is mounted a single device, or mechanism, for automatically reversing the apron at the end of its movement both rearwardly and reverse; and it will also be observed that the controlling lever on the rock shaft 99 is supplied with a connection consisting of the cam 100, the

horizontally disposed stop lever 128 and the other connecting members, these last constituting mcans for throwing into and out of operation the said automatic apron reversing mechanismby said controlling lever. It will be noted in Fig. 3 that the inner upper'end of the apron has an upwardly extending plate 136 which causes the load tomove along the apron when discharging and supports the front end of the load. This plate is best supported by means of rollers 137 running on suitable tracks.

One complete cycle of the operation of the entire machine will be briefly described. The lever 112 lies in its neutral verticalposition, with the pin 127 restingv against the stop lug 130. In rocking the hand lever.

llllrearward-ly to the full line positionshown' in Fig. l, the rake teeth 92will be raisedthrough the rod 97,'and through the rock lever 108, the lever 1:06 and the epring138 the clutch members 104 and 105 on the axle i2 will lie-thrown into. engagement as heretofore described. The cam lllG will operate to momentarily'depress the right-hand side'oi' the rock lever 128, as be fore described permitting the pin 127 to pass over the top of the stop lug and the lover 112 will move to the lull line position of Fig. 4, and thus, through the lever 70. to throw the clutch member 4 5 into engagement with the clutch head 46 on the sleeve 47, and in this manner operate the apron drive shaft rearwardly.

Simultaneously with the shifting of the lever 70 the rock shaft 79 will be moved through thedepending arm 113 on the rock shalt 111, the link 114 and the arm 115, in "this manner shifting the clutch member 77 into engagement with the clutch member 73, and thus movement will be imparted to the cylinder 71. The mechanism will continue in operation, the apron moving rearwardly, and by the time the said apron has reached its rearward position and discharged its lead the worm onthe shaft 34 will rotate the segment 124, and, through the link connection .123 with the bar 122, will pull said bar downwardly, the pin 118 bearing with constantly increasing pressure against the lower end of the spring 116 until the projecting shoulder 122 on the lower end of the said sliding bar contacts and disongages the latch 11!; from the lower end of the lever 112. On the release of this latch 1.19 the lower end of the spring 116 will force the lever to its reversed position, by which movement the lever 70 will be caused to inove in the opposite direction and shifting the cone clutch member 44 into engagement with its cooperating clutch member 43 on the apron shaft 26, thus 1; rowing into engagement the apron return mechanism. Simultaneously with this movement the rock shaft 79 will be moved in the reverse direction by its link connection with the rock shaft 111 and the clutch member 77 disengaged from the clutch member 73, causing the distributing cylinder 71 to stop.

' I t will be remembered that the horizontal lever 128, all-c1 being momentarily depressed through the cam 100 on the rock shalt 99, when the lever 101 is moved to engaging position, now lies in its normal horizontal position. The pin 127 will slide over the lug 130 in the movement of the top of the'levcr 112 to the left as soon in Fig. 4. As the apron moves to its forward position the sliding trip bar 122 will be raised to its upper position through the Worin 35, the segment and its conncctions, and simultaneously with the apron reaching itsposition forwardly the said trip leverwill disengage the latch 120 and the pin 117 will force the top of the lever to the right again. Asthe stop lug 130, however, lies in the path of the pin l27, it can move tothe right only to the central position, thus leaving the apron in its forward position ready to return but out of gear, and the distributing cylinder also out of The controlling lever 10l'is now moved forward to its inoperative position, lowering the rake teeth 92 and disengaging the clutch' member 104,from the clutch nn-mb'er 105, thereby stopping all moving parts of the machir Itiwill-heobserved that in this forward mover. .nt oi the controlling lever the earn 100 will again depress the lever 128 momentarily, whichwill cause the lever 112 to be thrown to an tion: This, however, is of no consequence, as none of the driving clutches are in engagement.

Having thus dcscribedm'y invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by LettcrsPatent, is:

V 1. A' fertilizer spreader comprising a body, a rear .axle

fixed to the under side of the body, wheels looselymounted .on 'ssidnxle, an apron provldedwlth-a sprocket chain and gear.

operative posi- I movable in the bottom of the body an apron shaft, :1 sprocket wheel on said shaft for engaging with the sprocket chain on said apron. a sleeve loosely mounted on the apron shaft, a clutch mechanism adapted to be operatcd from the front of the body for placing said sleeve in operative connection with the apron shaft, a ratchet wheel on said sleeve, arms mounted to swing on the sleeve, a pawl carried by said arms for engaging' with the ratchet wheel, an eccentric sleeve rotatably fixed but longitndinally movable on the axle, the said sleeve being provided with a spiral rib, an eccentric having a channel at its innor side for receiving said spiral rib, a rod connection between the eccentric and the said pawl, and means under the control of the'operator f0? efiecting the cndwisc movement of said eccentric sleeve and thereby regulate the throw of said eccentric. 2. A fertilizer spreader comprisinga body, a rear axle fixed to the under side of the body; wheels loosely mounted on said axle, an apron provided with a sprocket chain and movable in the bottom of the body, an apron shaft, :1 sprocket wheel on said shaft for engaging with the sprocket chain on said apron, a sleeve loosely mounted on the apron shaft, a clutch mechanism adapted to be operated from the front of the body for placing said sleeve in operative connection with the apron shaft, two ratchet wheels secured tosaid sleeve, arms mounted on said sleeve adjacent to said wheels, pawls carried by said arms for engaging with the ratchet wheels, a double eccentric sleeve rotntively fixed but longitudinally movable on the axle, the two portions of said eccentric sleeve being opposltely disposed with respect to their eccentricity, oppositely inclined spiral ribs 011' the two portions of said eccentric sleeve. eccentrics mounted on said sleeve and provided with channels for receiving said spiral ribs, connecting rods extending between the eccentrics and-said pawls, and means under the control of the operator for effecting the endwise movement of said eccentric sleeve and. thereby regulatlngfthe throw of said eccentrics, said means comprising a springheld sleeve-engaglng arm, a V-shaped cam and a rod and lever for operating said cam.

3. A fertilizer spreader comprising a wheel-mounted body, an apron mounted to move back and forth therein and forming the bottom thereof, a distributing cylinder mounted at the rear end of the body, a driving sprocket wheel mounted loosely on the rear axle of the vehicle, a sprocket wheel on the shaft of the distributing cylinder, :1 sprocket wheel adjustably mounted on'the spreader frame in the rear of the sprockbt wheel on the distributing cylinder shaft, :1 sprocket chain engaging the under side of the sprocket wheel on the distributing cylinder shaft and connecting the said driving sprocketjwhcel and the adjustably mounted sprocket wheel, a clutch mechanism in connection with the sprocket wheel on the distributing cylinder, a clutch mechanism in connection with the driving sprocket wheel "on the axle, and means for moving the two clutch mechanisms in to and out of engagement.

I 4. A fertilizer spreader comprising a wheel-mounted body, an apron arranged to move back andfor th therein .and in the bottom thereof, a distrlbuting cylinder mounted at the rear'end of the body, a sprocket wheel on the shaft of said cylinder, a driving sprocket wheel having a clutch connection with one of the' supporting 'wheels of the spreader, a plate secured to the side of the spreader body' in which the sprocket bearing end of the cylinder shaft journals, the said plate being provided with an arcuate slot and a transversely extending slot leading therefrom, an adjustable slotted arm having a pin at its lower end which .engages in the transversely extending slot, a stud extending through theslot of the arm and slot in the plate, a sprocket wheel .end of said arm,

the said driving sprocket wheel, the sprocket wheel on the engaging the arcuate mounted on the. upper and a sprocket chain adaptedItocngage.

adjustable-,arm and the under side of the sprocket wheel i on the distributing cylinder shaft.

I 5. A fertilizer spreader comprising a. wheel-mounted. f

body -an apron movable therein and formlng.the bottom thereof, a rear axle, arear wheel loosely mounted onthe v a sprocket wheel proaxle and carrying 'a clutch member,

'vided with a cooperating clutch member-jslldable on said I axle, a dish'ibunng a; ndev driven from said sprocket whee), a shifting lever connecting with the slidablc sprocke on the axle, the said lover having an inclined cam at its forward end, a wriiually dispoed lever mounted to' swing on the body and adapted toengage at its lower end UH: aid cam and movvjhe sprocket wheel and clutch memimr thereon, a rake mounted to swing vertically to and from a positiun in from of the distributing cylinder, a. lever and rock sha t located at the forward end of ,the body,

and an operative connecting means interposed between said 10' rock shaft and rake, said connecting means engaging the upper end of the vertically disposed lever \vhreby both the clutch member an the axle and said rake are controlied'by the said lever.

JOHN G. LYQDEN. 

